by Shan
“You didn't, I just didn't feel your arm wrapped around me anymore. Are you stressing about the trial?”
“Honestly I'm not really worried about that. Keylan and my bruh handled shit for me so I should be good.”
“So, what could be bothering you if you know you're gonna be a free man?”
“I just miss her Diamond,” I said rubbing my hand through my goatee.
Diamond's grip became loose and she instantly backed away from me; I don't know why she felt the need to get jealous over somebody that I will never see again. Everybody was acting like Rozalyn and I just simply broke up and that I need to just get over what happened to her but hell it wasn't that damn easy. Her young ass stole my heart and it's buried six feet under with her; I truly doubt I could ever give my heart to another female again. I was already cautious about falling in love being I knew when I did fall for someone I would fall hard and that's exactly what I did with Rozalyn.
“She's not coming back, Tae. She's dead and you need to start moving on with your life,” Diamond said.
Here we go with this shit; I was so sick and tired of hearing the same ol’ thing over and over again. Maybe if I didn't go to sleep and dream of her every night or even hallucinate about her doing the day then I probably could get over her death and move on but until then I didn't see it happening no time soon.
“Diamond, just leave me the fuck alone a’ight?”
“That's all you do is sit around here sulking about that damn girl! Damn I know you loved her or whatever but she’s not coming back. We don't even do shit! I'm tired of sitting around this damn house watching you breakdown over some dead bitch that you'll never see again.”
WHAM!
I backhanded Diamond in her disrespectful ass mouth then got up to throw some clothes on. My trial was set to begin in a matter of hours and fighting with this bitch over my fuckin’ baby mama wasn't some shit I wanted to do right now.
“Aagghh!” Diamond jumped on my back, screaming, punching, and scratching the hell out of me. “Don't you ever put your hands on me again!”
“Get the fuck off of me! Get your ass off of me!” I peeled Diamond off of my back and tossed her to the floor making a loud thump. She jumped back up from the floor and raced towards me; really trying her best to fight me. I let her get a few more punches in before I jerked her up by her throat and slammed her down on the bed. I stared into her light brown eyes and smiled while she huffed and puffed trying to catch her breath.
“Now you know you can't whoop my ass so I don't even know why you getting all worked up! Calm your ass down before you hurt my damn child!” I released the hold I had around Diamond's neck and walked away towards the bathroom.
“Tamar I love you and I just want you to love me back!” Diamond yelled to my back as I shut the door.
***
“Is the prosecution ready to call their next witness?” Judge Christopher asked. She was an aging white woman with salt and pepper hair. She had hundreds and hundreds of wrinkles that ran across her face and down her neck. Every time she looked at me over the rim of her glasses I could tell she was thinking I was guilty as charged just like every other black man in America.
“Your honor we have called all the witnesses and unfortunately the major witness we had, Peaches Evans, was killed last week and we believe that somehow the defendant had something to do with it,” said Monica Brown the district attorney for the state.
“Objection, your honor!” my attorney Clemmons yelled. “My client is being watched on a daily basis by Federal agents, officers from the police department, and by the media! There is no way possible he could've committed a murder and no one knew about it except for the prosecution!”
“Oh please, he's a scumbag that makes a living off of selling dope! He's one of the biggest dealers around here, I'm sure he hired someone to take care of it!” Monica yelled.
“Your honor we did not find out who their major witness was until the day before yesterday; so you're accusing the wrong guy! Your honor I ask that you strike the accusations the State has just made and ask that the jury act as if they didn't hear such a thing.”
“Oh please they heard it; everyone in here heard and I'm sure they all know he did it too!”
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The judge banged the gavel and removed her glasses looking down on the two attorneys like they were some bad children that got into a squabble in the school yard.
“I really cannot believe that you two are going to sit here and argue like two little children! I really should find you both in contempt and send you two crybabies to jail! I need to see both of you in my chambers now!”
Monica was visibly pissed Peaches was the only thing they had on me. I shook my head thinking how I shot that bitch in the damn head sending her to her death and she ended up making it through that shit. If it hadn't been for Kari and her freaky obsession with me then I would've never known until a couple of days ago that Peaches was the major witness for the state. They kept that information to themselves per an order by the judge ’cause they feared that someone on my team would try and kill her and they couldn't have been more than right.
My attorney received express mail to his office of the statement that she gave to the police when she suddenly awoke from the vegetative state she was in. She told them how she watched us assassinate her sister Shalea and Tweek and when she tried to get away I chased her down and put a bullet in her head. Now that Peaches was dead they didn’t have a case, they didn’t have a weapon, didn’t have any DNA evidence, and they didn’t have any other witnesses.
When my attorney came back from the judge’s chambers he informed me that they would try and charge me with attempted murder on Peaches and for me not to worry ’cause we can go to trial on that too. They didn't have shit on that either! She couldn't testify to her own damn shooting if she was no longer here. Fuck this, I'm a free fuckin’ man and it was only a matter time before the world knew it.
“At this time the state rests its case,” Monica said and in a defeated manner took her seat.
“Attorney Clemmons are you ready to call your first witness?” Judge Christopher asked.
When I looked up the Judge was staring right at me and I could tell she was wondering if I somehow had something to do with the death of Peaches. Nah she don't think that. She can't think that. Fuck her if she do. I shot her a look back that said ‘Bitch prove it’ then turned my attention to my cousin Ki-Ki as she walked from the outside to the witness stand.
Ki-Ki took the stand and told the court room that I was having a party the same night that Shalea and Tweek was killed and that I couldn’t have did it because I was hosting the party the whole night. She told them that I didn’t leave until I got a call that my pregnant girlfriend Rozalyn was missing.
I started sulking again at the mention of Rozalyn’s name; I wasn’t putting on a show for the jury either. I really missed her and felt like shit for allowing her to be kidnapped and murdered. Damn, what kind of man am I that I can't even keep my woman and child safe? I thought.
K-Ki’s testimony was just another reminder that I wasn't a real fuckin’ man. No matter how much power, respect, and money I had; to the eyes of most if you couldn't protect your family then you wasn’t shit. If I was able to catch up to P.J. and murk his ass for what he did to Rozalyn and my seed it still wouldn’t matter because I allowed the shit to happen.
“You may step down,” Judge Christopher said to Ki-Ki once she was done testifying.
Next they called Brandon to the stand who testified to what happened to him that night verifying that everything Ki-Ki said was true. Then they called Keylan to the stand who testified that he and I were partying until the wee hours of the night until we got a call that no one could find Rozalyn; the same thing that Brandon and Ki-Ki had just said. He also told the court that it was impossible that I killed Tweek and Shalea because we were too busy going from hospital to hospital looking for Rozalyn and Brandon. He then said that we di
dn't find out that Shalea and Tweek had been murdered until the police arrested me at the hospital months later planting their deaths on me.
Finally, a nurse was called to the stand that I had never seen in my life; I thought she was about to testify against me but it wasn’t until she spoke that I realized she was on my side too. Where the hell they get this bitch from? This shit is getting better and better. I said to myself.
Nurse Louise Carter told the jury how I desperately ran into the hospital she worked at and asked if Brandon and Rozalyn were there and when she told me that they weren’t, I then asked her to write down all the names of the hospitals in the area. She told the court how she volunteered to call all the local hospitals for me but I refused telling her that I’d rather go to each one and look for them myself.
The nurse went on to say that she felt bad because all the time I had been looking for Brandon he actually was in the hospital but being his ID and cell phone had been stolen the night he was shot no one could identify him. She then said that I came back to the hospital and never left Brandon's side until the day I was arrested. I looked over at the jury to see if they were buying into this shit ’cause I was. Whoever the hell she was, she was putting on a good damn performance.
Once Nurse Carter was done Judge Christopher dismissed everyone for the day and said that we would continue the case on tomorrow. I walked out the court with my crew feeling happy as a muthafucka’; I was ready to go out and celebrate knowing the jury was going to return a verdict in my favor. We headed out of the court room where Tonio, Tweek’s brother and a couple of his boys/bodyguards were standing out like they were waiting on me to exit the building.
“You think you gonna get away with this shit you got another thing coming. That bitch ass jury may find you ‘not guilty’ but as far as I can see you a guilty muthafucka’ and you gonna pay for what you did to my brother!” Tonio spit.
“Tae…Tae…Tae!” Keylan yelled pulling me back and stepped to Tonio himself, “Yo muthafucka’ don’t make threats that your bitch ass can’t make good on. Yea remember my muthafuckin’ face ’cause you’ll be seeing it again real soon.”
“Oh so what you supposed to be, his little spokesperson or something? He can’t speak for his damn self. I ain’t got no problems with none of ya’ll; my problem is with this cocky ass nigga right here,” Tonio said throwing an accusatory finger at me.
“Well muthafucka’ your problem should be with me I’m the one that loaded your bruh up with them sixteen bullets and I'm a do your ass the same muthafuckin’ way for coming at my boy like that. You don't know about me then you better find out before it's too late,” Keylan said in a low voice then walked away down the steps of the court.
Tonio looked at Keylan as he walked away then turned his head to look at me with an astonished look plastered all over his face. I gave him an evil grin, shook my head, and then walked away.
“Tamar! Mr. Andrews, can we get a comment please?” I looked and saw Kari leading a bunch of other reporters coming my way with their microphones pointed out towards me. Kari was looking good in a pair of 'fuck me pumps', short, tight knee high skirt and a blouse that showed a small amount of cleavage. She'd been blowing my phone up begging me to let her get another taste but I wasn't sure if I could trust her just yet. As good as I was feeling though I might just let her wrap her lips around my dick one last time as a way of saying thank you for the info she’d blessed me with.
“How do you feel after all of today's testimonies? Do you think you will get off?” another reporter asked from the back of the crowd.
“My attorney is doing a real good job in arguing my case today and that's all I'm going to say,” I said grabbing Diamond's hand and walking away.
“Hello,” I answered my phone when I felt it vibrating in my pocket.
“Oh my God I'm so glad you answered. You gotta help me. I can't talk long…” the caller said.
“Yo, who the fuck is this?” I asked not believing I was about to start this hallucinating shit in broad fuckin’ daylight in front of all these damn people.
“Tae, it's me. Listen you gotta come get us, I don't know how much more of this I can take. Please don't be mad at me; this the first time I was able to call home.”
“Yo, you got the wrong fuckin’ number ma!” I hung up the phone, shook my head, and squeezed tighter to Diamond's hand making sure I hadn't been dreaming all this time. “I need a fuckin’ blunt,” I said.
“Who was that?” Diamond asked.
“Somebody that wanna fuckin’ play.”
“Hello!” I yelled answering the phone again. “Yo, who the fuck is this? I ain't got time to play fuckin’ games with you!”
“What do you mean? It's me, Rozalyn. I need your fuckin’ help; your son needs your help. Please don't do this to me, I know you're mad at me for not contacting you after all this time but you gotta believe me when I say I tried. This is the first time I was able to call and I don’t have much time. I'm in Beijing please come and get me and your son,” She said sounding out of breath.
“My son? You think this shit is funny you fuckin’ bitch! I'm a come find your ass and murk….”
The phone was snatched away from me by Keylan, who then pulled me through the crowd of reporters that was taping my every word. Damn if they air that; them muthafuckin’ jurors can hang me based off this shit. Was somebody setting me up?
6 ROZALYN
My Reality
Black eyes, swollen lip, fractured wrist, throbbing pussy; that was a normal day in the life of Rozalyn. It was what I've become used to, literally waking up every day expecting one or the other. If a day went by that something of that nature didn't happen I would swear it was the best day of my life.
My looks and my sexy features had become a curse in its self; no longer did I want to be pretty or to be craved for. Each time I was severely beaten I would pray that God would scar me for life; wishing I was so ugly that no one would want me. Inevitably, my wounds and scars would heal and once again I became the beauty that most females despised. A blessing between my legs that most women used to get what they want was more of a venomous poison to me. Men seemed to feast off my goodies like leaches, fall in the depth of my wetness, and become cursed with the fascination that they loved me.
“Breakfast is ready!” I said walking into P.J.'s office. He was sitting in his overly tall chair in nothing but a robe and house shoes. I walked away when he threw his hand up for me to leave; rolling my eyes I went back into the kitchen grabbing my bowl of oatmeal and orange juice.
I fuckin’ hated oatmeal but it was all I was allowed to eat for breakfast. I just made a nice hearty breakfast for P.J.; omelet with cheese, bacon, ham, and potatoes with hash browns and toast on the side. According to P.J. it was too much salt, grease and cholesterol and would only make me fat and unhealthy. I had to be on a health kick and shit while his ass got to eat whatever the hell he wanted.
P.J. was my mother's husband and my step-father and no I wasn't betraying my mother in any type of way. I wasn't here laying up in this bed with him ’cause I wanted to; I was here ’cause I had no choice. If I even tried to run P.J. would put a bullet in my head so fast sending me to my death and then my son would be left here to grow up with a pervert he thought was his father and I wasn't having that.
A few years ago I lived in New York with my mom and her husband P.J., one night when my mom was at work my best friend Ashley and I were home alone. P.J. came home drunk out of his mind and began to mess with the both of us. We were able to get him to leave us alone and never thought twice about him until in the middle of the night I woke up and caught him with his hand over Ashley's mouth having sex with her. When he saw that I busted him he tried to do the same to me but thankfully a neighbor heard my cries and called the police, she saved me but she didn't save Ashley. He'd suffocated her and killed her and I was witness to it all. I told the police what I knew and he was sent to jail.
My mom chose to disown me after I ratted out
her husband and sent me to stay with a father that I never knew in Atlanta. I lived with him, his wife, my cousin Torrie, and my brother Zavier. It was hard as hell trying to get used to being around people that I didn't know and that I felt like didn't want me around. I always thought they were all against me causing me to feel unloved by everyone; it wasn't until I met my boyfriend Tamar that I knew the true meaning of love and it was the greatest feeling ever. He was my first love, the only man I have ever loved, and no one could ever take the place he has in my heart. Not even P.J..
I could still be with him if my mom just told me the truth. She called me before I relocated to Miami with Tamar to tell me that P.J. beat the case he was facing for the murder and rape of Ashley. She told me that he was most likely looking for me which is what made me jump up, pack my stuff, and get on the first flight to Miami. At first I didn't wanna go with Tamar all the way to a new state but I knew it was the best thing being that my life was in danger.
I fucked up when I didn't tell Tamar about P.J. and the call that my mama made to me; I was mad at him, I wanted to hate him for what Tavon did to my brother Zavier. At the time I blamed Tamar for his brother killing my brother Zavier and I didn't want to have anything to do with him. I didn't tell him about P.J. ’cause I didn't want him to know the only reason why I moved to Miami was ’cause I feared for my life and not ’cause I wanted to be with him and get a fresh start like he thought.
After being in Miami for a few months with Tamar I was actually happy that I had gone with him; it was the happiest we'd ever been. There wasn't anybody shooting at us, nobody raping me, beating me, or trying to kill our second baby I was pregnant with. Things were so damn good and now it felt like it was all a dream. The happiness and fairy tale life we were living all came to an end the night of that damn party when Shalea showed up.
I always wonder what things would be like if Shalea hadn't come to the party that night; I wouldn't have had to go to the hospital or ended up at a motel with Brandon; and most likely I wouldn't have been kidnapped by P.J. and his entourage. I wondered if Tamar and I would be together raising our son and living happy as a family. And I often wonder if Brandon is okay.